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tv   ABC World News Now  ABC  March 14, 2011 3:05am-4:00am PDT

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martha raddatz reports now on the u.s. response. >> reporter: dozens of helicopters from the carrier "uss ronald reagan" are delivering food and supplies nonstop. others are searching for the thousands still missing or stranded by the quake. and the ravaging waters that followed. seven u.s. ships with thousands of sailors aboard are now taking part in the effort with four more ships on the way. >> we're first to respond to anything that goes on in this world. i feel that we are -- we put our best effort forward and we give them all the resources that we would give anybody in america. >> reporter: marines from okinawa and dozens more transport helicopters have moved up the coast of japan. at least 100 air force personnel are working to restore electricity to an air base near the most effected areas. and the 150-member search and rescue teams from virginia and
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california that have been called upon in so many tragedies, will be moving out into the stricken towns. an indication just how desperate the japanese are for aid, in the 1995 earthquake there where 6,000 people died, the japanese refused most foreign aid. this time they are accepting aid from even rivals like china and south korea. martha raddatz, abc news, washington. >> that is certainly telling. now, at ground level, as you can imagine, it is hard to exactly take in the size and scope of the destruction in japan. abc's christiane amanpour has a different perspective after taking an aerial tour. >> reporter: with search and rescue under way in the earthquake and tsunami zone, we wondered how much of the country is affected by this kind of chaos and destruction. the helicopters taking on fuel and we're going up to the sendai earthquake zone. japan is not a massive country. but part of that sendai area is quite remote. some the roads have been damaged.
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there are mountains in the greater area around there. that's hampering not just assessment but also relief and the delivery of supplies. on the hour-long ride to the city of sendai, near the epicenter, little evidence of the earthquake, much of the countryside appears unscathed. but as the chopper turns to the coast, the full extent of the devastation reveals itself. huge swaths of land along the coast remain under water. we fly past this massive plume of black smoke, billowing 3,000 feet into the air. the petrochemical plant below has been burning since the earthquake struck. and oil is spilling into the water. the government says it's already rescued 12,000 people and now the day has broken, new operations will get under way. but bad weather is predicted in the worst hit areas and that could hamper those operations. in addition, this country remains on high nuclear alert as the country races to cool down two of its nuclear reactors. christiane amanpour, abc news,
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tokyo. and our coverage of the earthquake disaster continues later in this half hour with our first look at a japanese coastal town that has been leveled. and stay tuned for "america this morning" and also a live report from diane sawyer who's in japan, featured later today on "good morning america." turning to other headlines this monday morning, beginning with the military advances being made by government forces in libya. moammar gadhafi's fighters have now forced rebels from one of their final strongholds along libya's coast. that advance leaves the rebels in control of just one more major city between gadhafi's army and the rebel stronghold of benghazi. also a powerful explosion at a chemical plant in suburban boston, injuring four workers at the plant in middleton and shook houses more than a mile away. the explosion damaged two buildings in the complex and debris was widespread. now the neighbors are worried about the air and water quality because the plant makes plastics and adhesives. we've learned of another young athlete who has died while playing. this time it was a basketball tournament in austin, texas.
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17-year-old robert garza collapsed and died shortly afterward at the hospital. his friends and family are simply trying to make sense of the tragedy. >> it's just mind-boggling, shocking, shocking. >> what bother me, you know, it would worry -- it would worry me a lot. why would that happen to a teenager? why at that age? i mean, you expect that from an older person. not from such a young kid. >> several other high school athletes have collapsed and died this month, including wes leonard, star basketballer from a small town in michigan. >> unbelievable. well, apple's iphone is the top selling smartphone but it apparently lost the ability to perform one of its basic functions, telling time. instead of springing forward, some iphones actually fell back an hour. the glitch put them two hours off, causing users to miss church and also other sunday morning activities. was that, you rob? iphone's botched the time change back in november and the alarm function on new year's day.
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this glitch happened in iphones provided by both verizon and at&t. so, nobody getting all up about at&t versus verizon. >> losing an hour on this shift is -- >> it was a bit tough, that's for sure. here's a look at your monday forecast. heavy rain from tennessee to carolinas. a mix of rain and snow from st. louis to central illinois. some rain from seattle to portland and mountain snow in the rockies. >> mostly 50s from seattle to salt lake. also a hot 86 in phoenix. 38 degrees in minneapolis. 35 in fargo. 45 in kansas city. 48 in new york. and 70s from new orleans to atlanta. well, we could all use a sweet story this morning. zookeepers are hoping for a love match this week in hungary. >> you're not into animals but come on, take a look at these guys. two snow leopards have been brought in as part of a new breeding program. wildlife experts would like to increase their numbers and move them closer from being off the
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endangered species list. >> for now, though, the pair is being kept apart to get used to the new surroundings. later this week they will be brought together and zookeepers are hoping for some love at first sight. >> yeah, how do you get two snow leopards in the mood? sort of, you know, help them in the mood. >> chocolate, bottle of wine. >> barry white. >> we'll be right back with more "world news now." white. >> we'll be right back with more "world news now."
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back to our top story. the disaster in the pacific. many towns were simply washed away by the tsunami, including one port town hit particularly hard. >> the small town of minamisanriku is now missing more than half its population and thousands are feared dead. the bbc's alastair leithead was one of the first tv journalists to reach the town and filed this
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report. >> reporter: from the air it just looked unreal. but close up, the true impact the wave had here on homes, shops, whole neighborhoods is overwhelming. for mile after mile, the tsunami flattened everything. throwing cars aside, pulverizing houses and dragging the debris far inland. 10,000 people are still unaccounted for here. more than half the town is missing. the roads are only now being cleared and the phone lines are down. this family did make it out in time. they came back and were shocked by the damage. "i was in the car with my daughter when everything began to shake violently," she told me. "we rushed back to the house, grabbed a few bags." they then drove up and out of town, just before the tsunami struck. this is just one small cove, one tiny inlet we've been able to
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get to along this vast length of coastline struck by the tsunami. you can get a sense of the power of the wave, crushing this car, slamming it into a wall. another one on its roof and buildings picked up and dragged by the power of the water up the valley. this is the impact in this small area alone. imagine this many, many times over. houses where people are living, and you get a sense of just how much japan has to deal with. hundreds of those who made it to safety were sheltering at a local school sports hall. their homes and possessions lost, nowhere to go. they both read and told more stories of lucky escapes. >> translator: i watched everything. the wave came in and i saw it hit the concrete breakwater. it was just flicked aside and the water rushed inland. houses were washed away and the
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wave almost reached us, high above the village. >> reporter: japan is prepared for earthquakes and even tsunamis. their evacuation plans, no doubt, saved lives but this was so big, so powerful and so devastating, the number of dead will just continue to rise. alastair leithead, bbc news, minamisanriku village, japan. >> the pictures really do tell the story as we see more examples of just the utter devastation there. so many people, can't find their loved ones, their homes are gone. >> looking for food, shelter, temperatures near freezing. it couldn't get worse. on top of everything else, there was another tsunami warning just hours ago late on sunday night. ended up not being much of anything, thank goodness. >> and the aftershocks, too. 300 aftershocks have been reported that are just continually going on and on and on. we're staying on top of those stories as well. when we come back, an emotional side to this story. loved ones separated by disaster reunited after an unforgettable ordeal. you're watching "world news
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now." unforgettable ordeal. you're watching "world news now."
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the overall figures from the disaster in the pacific are changing daily, as you can expect. we do know, though, there are thousands dead and thousands more missing and feared dead. >> amongst all of the horror and devastation in japan, there are still moments that give us all hope. david muir has the story. >> reporter: in this dramatic new video, watch as a rescue team pulls a small boy and his grandmother from their destroyed home, reuniting them with their family. you can hear loved ones calling out his name, about to have their little boy back. this mother waited 24 hours to find out if her little girl survived. waiting in agony, holding back tears as her child was brought to her across the floodwaters and put into her arms.
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she says, "i don't know how many hours it's been, just glad to hours it's been," just glad to have her daughter back. this family frantically looking for a loved one when suddenly a scream from the distance. their long wait ended with shouts of "so glad." this woman, her home sitting off in the distance, moved by the tsunami, just wanted her mother back. she's told to rush to a nearby elementary school, a shelter. as the camera follows her, she asks, "where is everyone? have you seen my mom?" she checks the first room. her mother not there. she goes to the next room and turns the corner. finally, mother and daughter reunited. >> unbelievable. when you see that it gives you goosebumps and brings tears to your eyes because you see how horrible it must be to be missing your loved ones. also the u.s. military has
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dubbed their operations -- assistance "operation tomodachi" which means friendship. assistance "operation tomodachi" which means friendship. ip. are switching from tylenol® to advil. here's one story. my name is jose. i'm from california and i'm a messenger and deliver all over the place. so there's times i'm just climbing in and out of the van, feel your hands hurting, you feel your back hurting. i used to take tylenol. i switched to advil. been using it ever since. and when the pain is gone and you feel good and you feel healthy... work or pleasure, i can go on with my life. [ male announcer ] make the switch. take action. take advil®.
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♪ 36 million bucks at the box office for "battle: l.a." a lot of people saw it over the weekend. i also saw it over the weekend. you did not see a movie over the weekend. slacker. >> i was working some overtime. i forego the movie this weekend. >> we'll go ahead and give you a pass this weekend. let me fill you in. first and foremost, nobody in my family would see this movie with me. my mom wouldn't go, husband wouldn't go. i almost took a baby with me. i was the only chick in the whole place. this is a guy's movie.
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let me tell you what this is about. i can't really tell you what it's about. it's so much cg action, explosions, fire. the gist is aliens come to santa monica beach in the form of meteors, explode because they want our water. the rest is action and explosions. if you're into that, you'll really like it. take a listen. >> at 1446 pacific standard time 12 different locations across the globe were breached in what appears to have been a coordinated attack by unknown enemy. this is a textbook military invasion. we are the last offensive force on the west coast. we cannot lose los angeles. >> that looks good. that looks good. >> because you're a dude, you're a guy, into the whole thing. >> i like a little more story line, a little more action. i did like aaron eckhart. he can do no wrong.
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if you're into dialogue, a story line, you won't like it. it's all about action sequences. take another look at the movie. >> just a dog. >> oh, just a little doggy. it's just a dog. >> dog. >> dog. >> dog. >> what's his name, huh? glenn. you're kidding me? who's the idiot naming dogs these days. what do you want to call him, fido. >> duck down! >> watch your head! >> where did they come from? >> how do we get out of here? lieutenant, where's the exit at? >> incoming! >> i don't know. >> can you see why i didn't say this was a chick flick? >> i like it. >> this is not a chick flick. the dog sequence, that's the longest amount of dialogue and then back into explosions. willis also saw it. you loved it. >> a man's movie. go see it. >> three stars. i know some of you will love it. if you like dialogue, you'll hate it. bring earplugs. so loud.
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this morning on "world news now" -- power plant blast. another explosion today at a nuclear plant posing a huge health threat in japan. >> this morning the intensified radiation scare after friday's devastating earthquake. it is monday, march 14th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." and good monday morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm peggy bunker. we're hearing this morning this could be among the costliest disasters of all time. the pictures from the air tell the whole story about the widespread destruction. we're going to get the very latest on the japan quake's economic toll. also ahead in this half hour, nuclear experts here in this country are now looking
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very carefully at how much risk power plants might face, those near earthquake fault lines. what's happening in japan could be a major wake-up call for us. you hear people, my god, if the big one hits california or something like that. certainly, this is another example of what we have to fear in this country as well. >> considering nuclear power, that's right. coming up later, the difficulty many americans had getting out of japan after surviving such an ordeal. it's a story told at many u.s. airports all weekend long. people there reconnecting. you can imagine the relief to get home. >> the lucky few. first, the unfolding nuclear crisis in japan. there has been a second hydrogen explosion at stricken fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant. >> the japanese authority say radiation levels have exploded and within legal limits, however. diana alvear has the latest. from narita, japan. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. what happened earlier today is just a sign of how fluid and how dangerous the situation still is for japan. reports of a second explosion at that nuclear facility and a possible second tsunami did little to ease the fears of
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those still living through this ongoing nuclear crisis. within seconds the scene in sendai changed dramatically. officials reported another explosion at the fukushima nuclear facility. >> we are at a reactor tipping point. either over the next 24 to 48 hours they'll get control of these reactors or they'll get meltdown at one or more reactors. a completely unprecedented situation. >> reporter: minutes earlier, warnings of a possible second tsunami, a false alarm, but no less frightening. the impact of the explosion was not immediately clear but the message from survivors of the initial disaster was. s.o.s., help. however, the mission to deliver that help has not been easy. one dramatic rescue was successful. elderly passengers pulled from their car, where they had been trapped for 20 hours with no food or water. but for too many, it's too late. hundreds of bodies have washed ashore, thousands more still
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missing. homes merely memories. those who survived are finding basic necessities nearly impossible to buy. this mother says, i was so stressed that i could not produce breast milk. i didn't know what to feed my baby. i didn't want her to get dehydrated. i'm so glad i could buy her formula. where they'll go from here, they don't know. the force of friday's tsunami swept away entire communities, leaving nothing to come home to. and i just want to take a moment to talk about these aftershocks. they've been constant and they've been powerful. in fact, a couple of hours ago, we literally felt like we were surfing on dry land. that's how powerful these aftershocks have been. and if they're feeling this way in narita, we can't imagine how powerful they are in sendai. rob, peggy. >> absolutely. a lot of people wondering about that. we've heard about so many aftershocks. just incessant. >> hundreds of them. more than 180,000 people have been evacuated now due to
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the nuclear threat. >> and as we've heard, the disaster is hitting the economy very, very hard there. akiko fujita is joining us now from an evacuation center in fukushima. akiko, we've heard about the economic toll this earthquake is having already. what is being done today in all of this? >> reporter: well, you're right, you know, shocks from the quake has extended to the markets. japan's benchmark nikkei fell 6.3% in the first session since the quake hit. that prompted the central bank to line up a record $183 billion in funds to stabilize the banking system. when you look at the numbers, the economic toll, it really is just frightening. the insurance cost of the quake alone expected to reach $35 billion. we have heard companies like sony, toyota, panasonic shuttering production lines. you can imagine, rob, just how far along we'll feel the effects on the economy out here. >> and also, akiko, we understand you're at an evacuation center. how serious is the radiation threat there, especially after the explosion at the nuclear plant. we've heard about iodine tablets being administered. what are you hearing? >> reporter: the residents who have evacuated, they're taking this all in stride. the government is really having
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to walk this fine line between reassuring people but also being very frank with them about the threat. you mentioned the explosion at the reactor earlier today. that did not change radiation levels, at least that's what we're hearing officially. people out here getting tested for radiation just as a precaution. most of these people just can't go home at this point, so they are staying in this evacuation center with all the blankets just lined up and just waiting to hear what's next. >> almost 200,000 people evacuated. a frightening thought. as this drama continues to play out with the nuclear plants. we know you've been based in tokyo for much of this. when you travel outside of that area, though, what kinds of things are you seeing as the scope of this becomes a little clearer? >> reporter: one of the things
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we've really noticed is this constant search for resources. this is away from the evacuation center. we're on the road. we're seeing lines everywhere. we saw lines for food. people lining up for a convenience store that essentially has no power, barely any food left on the shelves but they're trying to grab anything they can because they realize this isn't just a crisis that is one week or two weeks. they realize they're in it for the long haul. and people waiting for gas and water. just lines and just shortage of resources really starting to get to these people out here. >> we're hearing that too. thank you so much. abc's akiko fujita reporting live from evacuation center in northern japan. help from the u.s. is arriving in the quake zone. urban search and rescue teams from fairfax, virginia, and los angeles are joining rescuers from japan and other countries. their highly trained dogs are able to detect live victims who might be buried in the debris. the teams landed at a u.s. air base about 150 miles north of sendai. the nuclear fears from this crisis in japan are only raising concerns here in the u.s. what if such a disaster ever hit us here at home? david kerley has more on that.
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>> reporter: japan had never declared a nuclear emergency. it is dealing with six runaway reactors. two in dire shape. >> two reactors now where we have core that is partially melted. this is unprecedented. >> reporter: the good news, inside those buildings, the hot nuclear cores and their primary containment housings are said to be intact. but with no electricity, the japanese are reportedly using firetrucks, taking the drastic step of pumping seawater into the cores and flooding the containment housings of both reactors. a last-ditch effort to cool the cores to stop the nuclear reaction. >> we are at a reactor tipping point. either over the next 24 to 48 hours they're going to get control of these reactors or you'll get meltdown at one or more reactors. a completely unprecedented situation. >> reporter: the japanese reactors designed by general electric are more than four decades old and common in the united states.
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in fact, there are 23 of them. in cities like toms river, new jersey, cedar rapids, iowa, and vernon, vermont. they account for nearly a quarter of this country's 104 nuclear reactors. and the industry remains confident about their safety. >> we think we're pretty well equipped. we have guidelines in place, emergency operating procedures, training on severe accidents. >> reporter: could it happen here? >> well, a tsunami of the magnitude in japan, i don't know. >> reporter: that from an industry which has been hoping for a rebirth of nuclear energy in the u.s. >> this is the nuclear industry's worst nightmare. >> reporter: nuclear energy is one of the cornerstones of president obama's effort to wean this country from fossil fuels. one prominent senator says it is time for a moratorium on new nuclear construction. the white house won't go that far, telling abc news in a statement that the president is committed to learning lessons from japan so that nuclear energy can be produced here safely. david kerley, abc news, washington. renewing an important debate
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in this country for sure. our coverage of the disaster continues later in this half hour as we take an extensive tour of the damaged areas. later on "america this morning" and also on "good morning america," we'll bring you more extensive live reporting from the scene there in the earthquake zone. shifting gears and taking a look at your monday forecast. stormy in the south, up to 2 inches of rain from memphis to nashville and also raleigh. showers and thunderstorms along the gulf coast. rain and a dusting of snow from st. louis to bloomington, illinois. rain in the pacific northwest and mountain snow in the rockies. >> 54 in boise. 66 in sacramento. 86 in phoenix. 52 in omaha. 45 in chicago. 39 in detroit. 38 in boston. >> as aid pours in to help quake victims in japan, a man far from the disaster zone is doing his part one brush stroke at a time tiger yonemoto cannot reach his friends or family in japan but he set up a shop along a miami beach street to raise money for them.
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he's painted calligraphy messages with inspiring words like love, peace and hope. >> he says it is rewarding to use a simple talent to make a difference. those folks need all the hope and prayers they can get these days. that's for sure. more "world news now" right after this. ♪ [ female announcer ] unlock the potential of nature and shine. with pantene nature fusion shampoo. experience cassia essence fused with pantene pro v science. the advanced formula conditions damaged hair to unlock radiant shine today and up to 10 times more strength in 14 days. nature fusion from pantene. healthy makes it happen.
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back to our top story this morning. the disaster in the pacific. while the search continues this morning for thousands of people that are still unaccounted for, fears of six crippled nuclear reactors grows. >> outside that nuclear evacuation zone where tens of thousands are feared dead, many are simply struggling to find food, water or just shelter. david muir is there. >> reporter: we traveled along
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the edge of the nuclear plant evacuation zone and found people waiting and waiting. the long lines everywhere. this one just for water. i asked this guard if he's ever seen anything like this. he says, "this is the first time ever." he tells me there's a shelter where there is some food, but not enough for everyone. and this little girl, just 11, nods, telling us she's taking that water home. and then, of course, the growing fear here of radiation from those nuclear power plants. how old is she? this little girl holds up two fingers, just 2 years old and her mother is worried. she tells us she's following the news here, the instructions, not to go outside. she sealed her windows but she said she had to come out to get food and water. there are now emergencies here at six nuclear reactors, two different power plants. hundreds of thousands now have been told to evacuate. this firefighter admitted to us he is fearful of what could happen here. it makes you nervous? he tells us he's worried about the people who live in the
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evacuation zone, knowing if there's a big fire, he would be called in. now a third reactor at fukushima daiichi plant is in trouble. and authorities say it could explode. the fear that it would let off radioactive steam. now we're being told of a state of emergency, declared at another nuclear facility north in onagawa after excessive radiation levels were recorded there. with so many reactors offline, the government has begun those rolling blackouts. amidst the devastation, there is still hope here, new images of extraordinary rescues. these people stranded on the roof of a school, looking down and seeing something moving, washing up a car that was in a pile of mud and debris. they see people still alive inside. they alert rescue teams who found three elderly people in the car. they've been stuck more than 20 hours, no food, no water, and nighttime temperatures close to freezing. these stories of amazing survival are now mounting here. there was this, a man sitting on his roof, swept out to sea by
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immense waves, found ten miles offshore. he had been floating for two days. his wife didn't survive. and these new images of the wave that devastated the coastline. the most powerful image yet of just how massive and terrifying this was. >> that was david muir reporting. he pointed out something we haven't talked a lot about which is the weather there, very, very cold. they said they could get snow, which is not unusual for this time of year. >> all the elements against them. looking for shelter, food, water, now they have to battle mother nature as well. it's unbelievable. the footage of the elderly folks trapped in that car for 20 hours. it's hard to process what's going on there. really is. we'll lighten the mood a little bit. coming up in "the skinny" we're talking about american celebrities forced to evacuate actually because of that tsunami. >> oh, boy. had to come around some time. the infamous charlie sheen, we have to have a little of this, who's ready to cash in on his unpredictable behavior. stay tuned. wswswswswswswswswswss
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♪ skinny so skinny really, we have to do this?
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>> we really -- >> really? >> we don't have to, but we're going to get back to charlie, to get back to lighter fare for the last 72 hours or so, but apparently, you know, you may have caught wind of this last week before all the other important news of last week, but he's starting a live tour now. he's taking some kind of show, the details of which -- >> he's taking crazy on the road. >> he's taking crazy on the road. that's the best way to put it. he's calling this show "my violent torpedo of truth/defeat is not an option," that's the name of his show. he's apparently taking this to detroit and chicago, and tmz reported it was sold out in 18 minutes. >> what? >> some undercover reporting found out there was one ticket left in the mezzanine level but essentially a sellout. i think it's april 2nd at the detroit's fox theater and then at chicago theater the following night. he's officially launched his own website on friday called "sheen's korner" and tickets are going for 81 bucks, selling t-shirts. the good news he has some heart left. part of the money will go to
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earthquake relief fund. he's decided that as well. so at least -- >> so he is paying attention. >> consciousness beyond his own drama. charlie sheen is back out there with a live show. that should be fascinating what he says on stage. >> yes. i'm sure a lot of people will be lining up to see that. >> 18 minute, i mean, there's a crowd out there. >> an audience, apparently. moving on to mel gibson. who's had his issues in the past. >> to say the least. >> he was in court on friday about this domestic violence charge with his ex, oksana grigorieva, which he shares a daughter. now, he was sentenced to 36 months of probation and 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling. he pleaded no contest to the charges she filed against him. there he is in court. you see him there on friday. the reason he did this is because had he said he opposed these charges, he would have had to go to trial. basically he wanted to avoid the entire pr debacle, plead no contest which he'll be doing probation and counseling, which could help mel out a lot.
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>> which is better than public trial and weeks of media coverage. >> and i personally would like to thank him for doing that, so we don't have to talk about it. >> sparing us all, thank you, mel. kind heart. the dominating news is the tsunami, unfathomable tragedy in japan, and actually did affect a few american celebrities in the area that had to heed the tsunami warnings that were in the area. jimmy kimmel, he was relaxing, having an island vacation and he had to, you know, evacuate briefly because he was in the way of the tsunami warning, alerted a few fans through twitter. also kristen stewart and taylor lautner from "twilight" fame, they had to get out of dodge. they're all okay. obviously, stars impacted by the tragedy as well, too. they got out of dodge, which is -- >> they're safe. >> -- good to know they're safe. >> i like how jimmy kimmel tweeted he was happy he brought his sticks, his -- >> his aqua stilts. >> stilts, right. >> he was joking about it -- >> but then quickly -- >> he got serious when he realized.
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now our top headlines from >> but then quic -- >> he got serious when he realized. let me tell you about a very important phone call i made.
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call this toll-free number now. now our top headlines from now our top headlines from the disaster in the pacific. there are nuclear fears in northeast japan today after another hydrogen explosion at fukushima power plant. even before that blast people from a wide region were forced to evacuate due to radiation risk. international aid is arriving today in japan. specially trained dogs are there from the u.s. to search for earthquake victims but a u.s. aircraft carrier just off the coast was forced to move out to sea, as a precaution after the hydrogen blast at the nuclear plant. friday's quake and tsunami is having an economic aftershock. japan's stocks are closed today after taking a huge hit. stock prices for just about every japanese company fell dramatically. japanese automakers have plants in the northeastern part of the country which were so hard hit by that quake. >> unbelievable news. well, besides all the death
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and destruction from the disaster in the pacific, believe it or not, there are still some moments that can put a smile on your face. >> there were plenty of smiling faces over the weekend at a san francisco airport where families and loved ones were being welcomed home from japan. kgo's janelle wang has the story. >> reporter: lots of hugs as some of the first flights from tokyo arrived, including a tearful reunion between 10-year-old gavin and his dad, who was caught in the earthquake, thousands of miles away from their east bay home. >> there's also a tsunami and i'm like, is he by the tsunami? she's like, well, no, he's perfectly fine. he's in the airport. i was like, thank goodness, he's in the airport. because it was scary. >> reporter: many who returned home today were either on their way to the airport in tokyo or at the airport already when the earthquake struck. >> most people were ducking under the chairs. there were some people standing
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that couldn't even -- they couldn't even stand up. >> reporter: then everything came to a standstill. public transportation came to a screeching halt, flights canceled, trains stopped. laura oliphant was stuck on a train for 16 hours. >> the train was not full. we were able to -- to flip our seats around and we were able to -- we were able to sleep with our -- with our luggage bridging the gap. >> they were handing out ritz crackers, water and sleeping bags, so we spent the night there and just waited for today to try to get back. >> reporter: back home, back safe, but their hearts go out to those in japan. >> can you imagine how relieved and lucky they feel? they could have been in the midst of it but at least they were somewhere, despite the hassles, they could get out quickly and get back home. >> interesting, too, about this disaster, so many people stayed in touch by facebook or able to get in touch with people saying, i'm okay, this is where i am. it was seeing facebook play a role. >> for all the criticism it takes, in times of crisis it can play a very important role. more from abc coming up.
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